


Regression to the mean

by SHDZEF



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:47:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26842366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SHDZEF/pseuds/SHDZEF
Summary: Whumptober takes over my mind and several prompts could make a whole story, so this is my try.
Relationships: Juliet Higgins & Everyone, Juliet Higgins & Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV, Juliet Higgins/Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV, Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV & Everyone
Comments: 2
Kudos: 39
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	1. 04 Runing out of time

**Author's Note:**

> Whumptober takes over my mind and several prompts could make a whole story, so this is my try.

Juliet was slowly waking up, the warmth of the sun on her body. It had been a month since she got shot int the shoulder, a month since their first kiss.

After a week after, and against her doctor's wishes, she was discharged from the hospital. Her Ohana promises to watch over her and not letting her overexert herself.

She was starting to become insane by her limitations; Magnum takes upon himself to distract her, and he was successful.

The rest of the Ohana notice the change in their relation, but nobody comments. Except for that one night when she could drink alcohol again. And TC offered everyone champagne, claiming that a long term investment finally paid up. Rick sulk a little that evening.

Last night, they had their second date. She had observed him with another woman and Abby and she thought she knew what to expect from a date with Magnum. She was happily surprised by it.

Juliet has always been vocal about her feeling about romance. Even her dates with Richard were never walk on the beach under the moonlight or midnight picnic in a park.

They were more casual diner, movie, show, or opera, she had loved them. 

But Magnum manages to make one romantic without making it romantic. They went to an open house and a cooking lesson.

She actually enjoyed it. And when they return to the estate, they prolong it by having a drink at the guest house, leading to another activity way into the night.

Juliet turns around and realize she's alone in the bed. The bathroom is quiet, Magnum must have gone back to his usual activity.

Juliet starts to pull herself from the bed when the door opens.

Magnum enters with a breakfast tray. He put it down on the table near the bed.

"Are you trying to escape, he said smiling taking her in his arms. I know you're against eating in bed, but for once humor me."

"I'm not escaping, I just thought..." Magnum cut her off with a kiss.

"I have been waiting for that moment for a very long time, I'm not going away."

Juliet starts kissing him, and the breakfast is forgotten by both of them.

In the afternoon, both Juliet and Magnum's phone remind them of the outside world and their duty.

Juliet is still not allowed to help him, but she can manage the estate. And a lot of meetings have been put on hold because of her injury. She had a meeting with her lawyer for the final transfer of the ownership of the estate.

Magnum has a meeting with a client, Rick is making him wait, but Magnum must come and quick.

Magnum reluctantly let go of Juliet, he tried to persuade her to shower, but she won't let him sway her. Promising to make it up to him later that night.

A man is standing in front of board studying pictures, all of them are about Thomas Magnum, Juliet is almost every one of them. 

There is a portrait of her with a target paint over her.

He had managed to tap into the estate security system. It wasn't easy, but he got lucky when the girl gets hurt.

He could see the entry gates and saw Magnum finally leaving the girl going out alone.

Today was the day, he would make him pay for what he did to him, to his love.

At la Marianna, Magnum meets the father of a teenage girl, he was afraid she was in trouble. Several times he had caught her lying to him about where she was.

The man was a widower and left to raise a bright young girl. Hehad a good relationship with her and had always been open to her dating, even had an open policy for her to meet a gynecologist if and when she decided to become more serious with her previous boyfriend.

They break up when he went to college, and she had been depressed ever since. He wanted Magnum to follow her just to be safe.

Magnum hesitates, on one hand, he does understand the father fears, on the other hand, he felt creepy to spy on a teen.

Magnum agreed on the condition that if the reason were too personal and doesn't put her in any kind of danger, the father will have to ask her directly.

Magnum will not provide him any pictures or stop the investigation immediately without telling him anything.

After the client left, both TC and Rick flag him to stay.

As he came close Magnum could see his two best friends grinning like idiots.

"Why are you two smiling like idiots?"

"Well Tommy it's a beautiful day, the sun is shining, you're going to make money again, what's not to smile about."

"No, it's not that, come on guys spell it out."

"Well TM, how was the second date with Higgy?"

Magnum smiles and shakes his head

"You're really interested?"

"In you always Tommy?"

Magnum looks at his two best friends suspicious

"Ok guys the truth now."

"Well, lets just says that money is involved," answered Rick

"From the beginning."

TC and Rick look at each other and TC just smiles at Rick.

"Tommy, you remember the first dinner with had a Nunzo house after you first arrived at Robin's Nest?"

"Yea." said Magnum suspicious

"Nunzo start a series of bet on when you and Higgins were going to be together." simply said Rick still smiling

"What, why the only thing I did was complaining about her."

"All night long, not even baseball could sway you from her. Nunzo knew what was up. You already like the girl."

"But remember TM, we do love her too, so you hurt her, we hurt you."

"And if she's the one who hurt me?" asked Magnum a little hurt.

"Tommy, my man, who will most likely screw things up?'

Magnum looks at Rick and nods "Right, no screw-up."

  
While Magnum is being roasted by his two best friends, Juliet is finally out of a lawyer's office.  
The official from immigration was suspicious of the sudden change of ownership, but the nature of her relationship with Robin Master established. Juliet was sent back home reassured that all was done.

The next step for her was to prepare for her application of dual citizenship, and she could return the estate to Robin.

  
She was walking briskly in the parking lot, feeling happy, when a wave of fear comes over her. Maybe she should be more careful, the last time she felt that happy, she lost everything in a blink of an eye.

She was so out of it that she walked straight into someone without realizing.

"I'm sorry" Juliet apologizing

"Don't be, Thomas Magnum is the one who is going to be sorry." answered the man

Juliet is startled by what he just say, but she can't focus somehow her body doesn't answer to her brain anymore. She had to steady herself against a car and look at the man in front of her.

Suddenly she notices the syringe in his hand, she wants to run away. But she just had enough strength to hold herself against the car.

The man came closer and pick her up in his arms before going toward his van. The sedatives he had give her will keep her out until he reaches his destination.

Pity, she seems nice. But she was Magnum's weakness, and he wanted Magnum to realize how much his actions had cost him.

  
Magnum returned to the estate, he was still bothered by his last client request.

But he was fortunate to have two women in his life who could share some light in the teenage girl's behavior, and tell him if it was a good idea for him to continue.

As soon as he arrived at the estate both Zeus and Appolo comes to him, but lately, they didn't chase him so much. Zeus even demanding to be pet by him.

Kumu followed them "Hello Thomas, I thought it was Juliet"

"Hi Kumu, she's still at the Lawyer?" ask Magnum playing with the lads.

" She have call earlier saying she was done with the lawyer and coming straight home. But that was two hours ago."

"She has been stuck inside the estate for almost a month. Maybe she runs into someone. You want me to call her?"

"I tried, but her phone goes straight to voicemail."

Magnum is trying not to look worried, but this is unlike Juliet. No matter what she will answer her phone.

"She just have it turn out during her meeting. I will call his secretary to ask her when Juliet left the office. I'm sure she's fine Kumu."

Magnum tried to make it look like is not worried, but everything is UnHiggins like. She knows better than not answering her phone. Especially after her being hurt.

"Hello, this is Thomas Magnum, Juliet Higgins had a meeting this afternoon." Thomas listens and seems not to please by the answer

" Are you sure about the time? Thank you" he hangs up.

"The meeting was done two hours ago, I'm going to ask Katsumoto to find the car."

"Magnum, I don't have time for you." start Katsumoto.

Magnum cut him off "Juliet is not answering her phone, and her meeting with her lawyer was up two hours ago. Did anyone report an accident involving a Ferrari.

Katsumoto is a little worried by what Magnum just told him, Juliet could be as unpredictable as Magnum. But she was a little less unreliable.

She would have called Kumu at least, especially after the hostage situation.

"No one report an accident concerning the Ferrari. But I have pinged the car, it's still at the lawyer building. I will meet you there, Magnum please respect the speed limit."

Magnum understands that Katsumoto is trying to alleviate the mood "I will try." 

Magnum hangs up and look at Kumu "The car is still in the building, Katsumoto is going there. I'm sure it's nothing."

Kumu looks worried as she watches Magnum running to the car and leaving the estate.

  
Katsumoto is watching Juliet's car being fingerprint by CSI and can see Magnum approaching him.

"I thought I told you to mind the speed limit Magnum."

Magnum is not amused and not in the mood to play nice "What happens, why CSI is processing the car?"

Katsumoto looked at Magnum and hesitate " Kylie Stern found Juliet's bag near her car, she had brings it to security. When I arrived they give it to me, and we watch the surveillance tape. She was taken by a man, 6"2 slender, baseball cap. He had his back to every camera of the building. I ask for BOLO for his car. Nothing yet."

Magnum is trying to keep is calm, Juliet was kidnapped and he needed to keep calm. He had to found her. He had to call his Ohana for help first.

"Rick I need you and TC, Juliet has been kidnaped this afternoon. A man took her in a van from the lawyer building."

Rick is listening and as soon Magnum finish, he starts calling everyone he knows on the island to get as much information as he could. He asks one of the barmen to take charge and call TC to go to the estate.

Katsumoto waits for Magnum to end his call "Magnum, you have to go back to the estate"

Magnum wants to protest but Katsumoto doesn't let him "Don't start with me. We got this, you need to go and wait for someone to contact you. This could be just a kidnapping, we need to tape the estate line."

Magnum understand and goes back to the estate, he had to warn Kumu and Robin.

  
When Magnum arrives, Rick and TC are already there. They have explained the situation to Kumu.

Everyone is silent waiting for the phone to ring or anything who will give them a hint where Juliet is.

Katsumoto joins them later, he had CSI fast forward the result, but they come out empty. Whoever took Juliet didn't go anywhere near her car.

Suddenly Magnum phone ring, it's the ringtone he had set for Juliet numbers.

Magnum looks at Katsumoto he mentions to put him on speaker while going away to ask for the call to be traced.

"This is Thomas Magnum."

  
No one answer, a piece of music plays. A piece of music that Magnum recognized and just said one name "Etienne Deveraux"

"Magnum, I'm so glad you manage to remember me."

"You're hard to forget Deveraux."

"Really, but you did. You left me behind. You and all your little friends. It's time you suffer as I did."

Katsumoto signal Magnum to stall him.

"We all have suffered in that prison; as soon as we could we contacted the military to rescue the rest of prisoners."

"Of course you did, after 18 months of you playing cowboy. 18 months of us suffering because you couldn't just obey and lay low. Aisha died because of you. Do you know how that feels to see the woman you love killed? You used her and abandoned her there. They torture her for helping you, and when there were done with her they cut her into pieces, I still ear her screams for help. And after that, you had the whole place bombarded. Do you know how it feels to be under piles of rock that could just fall on you if you make the wrong move?"

"I understand, you're hurt. But I'm responsible, Juliet had nothing to do with that. You want me, just tell me where to go and I will come. Let her go she's innocent."

"Aisha was innocent too. I will give you the same chance as I did, I will let you see her died."

"Devereaux" starts Magnum, but he hangs up

Katsumoto hangs up also, shaking his head. "It was too short. Magnum who the hell is this guy!"

Magnum looks at TC and Rick remembering.

"Etienne Devereaux was french intelligence, he was capture a year before us. He had tried to escape, but every time they capture him back." Magnum start but can't finish.

The time there is still heavy on his mind.

"The woman, Aisha who is she?" asks Katsumoto

"The daughter of one the guard. Devereaux loved her, one of the reasons he stops trying to escape." Answered Rick.

"Magnum, why" Katsumoto start but doesn't know how to ask what's on his mind.

Magnum look at him "I don't know Gordon, Aisha didn't help us. I would have never let her behind." 

Katsumoto just nods, he knows Magnum faults. But he wouldn't use someone and put them in harm's way for his own benefit.

Magnum phone indicates that he had received a message. It's a link for a website.

They all go to Juliet's office to open the link, they can see Juliet.

She's in the middle of a room, restrained to a chair. Suddenly a Chrono starts and shows the countdown.

They know they have 48 hours to found Juliet or she will die.


	2. 05 Where do you think you're going? part1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juliet makes acquaintance with Devereaux

  
Juliet's head was throbbing. She forced her eyes to open and wants to rub them, but she realizes they are zip ties together.

She notices she's on the floor. 

She doesn't recognize her surrounding. But she starts remembering, she was walking toward her car, after her meeting with the lawyer.

A man drugged her, he was after Magnum.

She needed to escape, she couldn't lose another loved one. No again.

She could feel the panic rise and takes a deep breath.

She wasn't some damsel in distress. She was a trained agent, she had let everyone down already by being kidnapped. She had to focus. 

Suddenly a door open, her kidnapper come closer.

"Hello Miss Higgins, I'm glad you're awake, I bring you dinner. I need you in shape for the time being." The man put outside her cage a tray with a sandwich and a bottle of water.

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

"My name has no importance, and what I want his retribution."

Magnum had told her that she was a little better than him as an investigator. But there is one point where he is better than her.

The way he could manage to make anyone open up to him. She could convince and coerce people to give information.

But people share with Magnum and he goes beyond what she could get from them. She had to try to emulate him.

"I have been kidnapped, and restrain against my will. It would only be fair for me to know at least why." 

"I was a prisoner along with him; and he destroyed my life and everything I care about."

"How?"

"It doesn't matter" the man starts leaving but Juliet tries to hold him back.

"It does to me, Magnum always put me in danger, I could be of assistance."

The man just looks at Juliet and smile"You know, if I hadn't observed both of you for months, I could have believed you. You're good Miss Higgins."

"What do you mean? I'm serious."

  
The man has a soft laugh "I have seen the way you look at him when you thought nobody was watching, the gentleness you disguise. I was there under the rain when you went to help him catch the goat. The way you took care of him, the way you look at him when you place the towel on his head. Tell me, Miss Higgins, if the old lady hadn't come will you have kissed him that night?"

Juliet is shocked, she remembers that stormy night. She had felt so guilty when she realizes she almost kisses Magnum, she had put it on the absence of romance in her life. 

"You shocked, I'm sorry but paradise isn't without danger."

The man leaves her to her own device.

First, she had to free herself from her restraint. He didn't use shackles so no need to dislocate any bones, and using zip ties against her that was a mistake. So that man had observed them, but he didn't know about Juliet's past.

She still needs to be careful, she was still weak from whatever he used to subdue her, her shoulder also gives him an advantage over her.

The cage she was in could be easily pick up, that 101 of spy training. A doubt came into her mind, what if it's too easy, what if it's a trap within a trap. Juliet starts to overthink everything and derail into paranoia.

She started to talk to herself forming her plan.

  
"Remember Juliet, if you think you can't be captured, you have already lost."

"Now, first take care of you restraint, then if that didn't alert him, take care of the locks. Be careful he could be watching you. He had the advantage of knowing the place, you don't. Stealth and discretion are your best asset. He has underestimated you, don't do the same mistake."

  
So she makes her move and breaks the zip ties by pulling her hands all the way up and hit her forearm against her hip bone. She actually had to do it twice before being successful, and the pain in her shoulder water her eyes. After being released, she waits, while massaging her hands. Her assailant doesn't seem to have noticed.  
She decides to pick up the lock of the cage. Since the day she had been taking a hostage with Kumu inside Robin's Nest, she had a subtle change in her wardrobe. Rick would be so surprised by it. MI6 does have an army of little Q. One of them, still a good friend did help with a few toys. Nothing fancy like a lighter that become a hand grenade. But right now all she needs is her hairpin. She has the habit to have at least two of them in her hair.

  
She starts picking it up and when the door unlocks, she starts pushing the door of the cage, nothing happens no wire along with the door of the cage, maybe just maybe this is going to be easy.

She out, and the door is the only way out. Aside from a small window whose so hight, her shoulder will make her pays for days.

She had to try the door first, but she notices something strange about it. A wire runs across the threshold. The door is probably a booby trap. So she just needs to find a way to not activate the trap. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Her knowledge of bomb is actually something she can describe as crap at. She can't let Magnum fall into a trap because she was careless.

She chooses option number two the damn window.

She used the cluster of the wooden box all over the room, to create a some kind of ladder to get to the window.

She checks the window to be sure that nothing could alert her assailant. She decides to use her top to muffle the noise of her breaking the window. 

The window was small, her body will barely fit through it. And she will end up with a lot of cuts from the glass. She took a deep breath and manage to get out. She needs to put the boys through yoga, being flexible was an advantage.

  
The sun was coming up, and she had no idea where she could be. But she couldn't stay here. She went toward the forest. She had to be sure to not let any trace and found somewhere anywhere to hid and regroup.

Juliet walks and walks but doesn't found anything. She out of breath, she had a small cut along her arms from the glass of the window. She's tired and thirsty. 

Suddenly she notices a light not far away, a fire. Maybe some hunters have to make a camp for the night. It's risky, but she's near exhaustion, she had to do something.

She starts going toward the light when all went black.

  
Juliet's head hurts, even more, she wants to use her hands, but she can fell she's restrained.

"Don't try, this time I make sure you couldn't move." 

That voice, her kidnapper. Juliet tried to look at him, but her head hurts too much. She can feel both her hand on her side, and she can't move her legs anymore.

  
The man approaches her and give her waters. "I'm impressed, Juliet, I thought Magnum wanted you because you were pretty, but you more than that. Ain't you?"

Juliet glares at him " Stop trying to pass as American, I can hear the french accent."

The man smile "My name is Etienne Devereaux, I'm going to kill you, but Magnum is going to be lucky he will not hear you beg for mercy. I will spare you that."

"Why?" Juliet said defiant, if she died she will not go down gently, she will fight scream, and kick until the end.

Devereaux looks at Juliet, he's going to destroy her image of Magnum before killing her "I was prisoner of Taliban's, a full year before Magnum and his friends arrived. My government probably write me off" He looks intensely at Juliet and smile " You know how it goes in our line of works. Does Magnum know that you outrank him, Major Higgins?"

Juliet looks at Devereaux, a little stunt. 

"So he doesn't, well I will keep your secret to your tomb. Well as I was saying, the Taliban's captured me, I try and try to escape but I wasn't successful. It was hell on earth, and in the middle of all that, I had found a little bit of paradise. Aisha was the daughter of one of the guards. Her mother uses to be a nurse before the revolution. She had taught her, she was an angel, my angel. Having her make me accept my fate. Until Magnum come into our life, he wanted to be free. But with time it didn't fade. And one day they escape, by killing Aisha's father. Her father was her only protection in that hell hole. When she was left alone, the Taliban turn on her. I heard her scream for help, and I couldn't do anything. Magnum just had to take her with him, but he abandoned her, and then he had the whole place bombarded to hide his crime. He had to suffer you understand?"

  
Juliet had listened carefully at Devereaux, but something doesn't add up. The way he looked at Juliet, Devereaux is trying to convince himself more than her.

Something happens after the boys escape, but she knew they weren't responsible. Magnum would never put anyone innocent in danger for his benefit.

Juliet knows that she has a game to play, one who could keep her alive long enough for Magnum to found her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the 80's version, Higgins was a major, and James Bond does have a rank of commander. So Juliet is now a Major, not sure she outrank Magnum, but I can have a little fun with it.  
> And the lads do like Magnum but they are guard dogs and he jumps inside their territories, Juliet is just their favorite.


End file.
